San Gimignano
by Hidarikiki
Summary: When her writer's block leads her to find a new meaning for her words. AU.
1. The block

First of all, I'd really like to thank you guys! You're just so... So good with me! I really appreciate those who reviewed my short stories and those good souls who added me as one of their favorite authors! You're just too good to live in this world! Thanks thanks thanks thanks a lot!

Remember the Hollywood's cliche about writer's blocks and things that happens in his or hers life? Well, Lucy = writer & Natsu and the rest = things that will happen in her life.  
>I'll write this story with lots of love and affection, as baking a cake. But I promise I'll try to keep writing other stories too. =)<p>

Bye Bye! Good Vibrations for you guys!

"Hi, this Lucy Heartphilia's house! Please, leave your message after tone!" - She decided to let the answering machine do her job. God, those editors really could be annoying sometimes! A writer needs some alone time! 

~Peeeeee

"Miss Heartphilia, we're just calling to remeber you about your next book deadline. We already have postponed it for six months. We'd like to remeber too that is cleary written on your contract that we were supposed to have published something yours four months ago. Magnolia Publishing House."

She was dead. No need to call a doctor. What a perfect timing she had. Never, in all her short life (21 is short, isn't it?) she had had writer's block! After three well succeeded and awarded novels she decided to have it. Fuck.

Deciding to give a break to herself, she got up from her work table, closing her notebook in the process. Stretching her back a little and hearing some bones make a weird noise, she wondered how long she have been seated in front os that plasma screen. Last time she checked, it was a Saturday, cause she remebered to had an great idea for her new book from a TV show that was exhibited only on Saturdays nights. Thirty minutes later after sitting to start her work, she knew it wouldn't work.

With her back still sore, she walked into her kitchen, where her dishes made a montrous pile all over her sink. Sighing deeply she decide to ignore it and landed her eyes in her objective: the 2011 calendar one of her friend gave her. Today was July 14th according to her loyal laptop. So...No-freaking-way.

Hell. She didn't leave her house for five days.

That was it. Taking a shower and changin into new clothes, Lucy was ready to go for a walk in less than thirty minutes. Picking up her BlackBerry, she saw 119 messages. Later. Waaay later she'd try to aswer that.

New York was cold this time of the year. Pulling her coat titgher around her, she left the apartment complex taht was strategically located next to Central Park. Stopping by a small coffee shop, she bought herself a moccaccino. Steaming hot. Coffee AND chocolate, just her style.

Entering the park, she took a sip of the divine drink. Relaxing a bit, she took a deep breath and started to lazily walk through the almost empty cemented streets. It was inspiring. Today, she'd finally find her story.

After an hour of walk and a long ago finished moccaccino, the young woman seated herself in an old and rustic bank. Relaxed, but still with no ideas for her novel, Lucy started to think about all the good things that happened to her those last three years. And the bad things too.

At the age of seven she had lost her mother. Her father's a bussiness man, so he only took interest ir her academical life. No tears for her mother, no 'good night dear Lucy' neither ' how was day darling?' at the dinner table. Actually, if she didn't see him every day of her life, she'd though her father's face was a newspaper leaf, as she always saw him evry morning, behind the NY Times.

Shaking the thoughts about her loveless father aside, she dove in the happy memory of her first published novel. At the age of eighteen she finished writting ' The waitress knots', a romance between a coffe waitress and a rich man that would pretend to be poor to get the know the girl better. But they didn't end up togheter. it would be too much of a cliché, she said to herself at the time.

The second one, already with a publishing house's contract, she wrote "Chronicles", a collection of love short stories that took place ate New York. Another huge success.

And then, her latest book. Her primadonna. "Snow tears", that told the story about a couple that lived happily at a small town in very distant and cold place. After having five children, the good guy died and ther mother had to raise the kids all by herself while dealing whith the pain of her loss. It was so natural for Lucy to write it that it sacred her.

And now she was here. Very late to deliver anything and probably very close to losing her contract...

"Scusa la mia macanza, posso sedermi qui?"

A startled Lucy looked to her right, where the voice had came from. Noticing a short aged man holding a screen and what she assumed to be a art crafts' wallet (she saw some brushes and a small can of paint label) she shook her head and grinned at him.

"Sorry sir, couldn't understand what you said" she asked him politely.

"Sì Sì! Scusa! I asket if I coult sit here, signorina." An italian! Smiling kindly t the man, she replied: "Of course sir! There's no problem! I'm sorry I couldn't understand what you said earlier...Don't know a word in italian!"

"That's okay I guess! Thank you for your kintness!" Smiling at her, the little man seated himself by her side. " This park here remind me of mia bella Toscana..." 

"Your beautyful Toscana? In Italy?"  
>"Haha, I tought you sait you ditn't know a wort in italiano!" The ancient man teased her.<br>"Mia bella is too much of a movie expression for me not to know it" She ansewred animatedly.

"Sì Sì. Excellent musicals that were mate!" He commented while stirring inside that wallet of his, taking out a palete stainde with many colors and some thin brushes.

"Where are you from? I mean, in Italy..." 

His face assuming a nostalgic expression, he dripped two different shades of green over the palltet and mixed them with a brush, soon achieving the color he was looking for.  
>"Provincia di San Gimignano. Big green fielts surrounting the most biautiful city of Toscana. More than five hundret years of story. It's silence talks it's history and screams it solitute. Biautiful..."<p>

When she looked to the screen again, it already had took the shape of an epic view: A castle surrounded with a large wall and fields of never-ending green.

"What's your name sir?" She asked curiously, thinkg about how soft that green would feel under her feet"

"Makarov my dear signorina." After that, they satyed like that until he finished the painting.

"Here, for you mia bella. Hope it makes you remint of this olt man!" He offered the now colored screen to her.

"R-really? But this is beatiful..." She hesitantly took the paint from the man's small hands.

"Belezza, Miss, merita belezza." With that, he let go of the object, turned away and left. 

After arriving her warm and confortable home again, Lucy left the screen over her couch and run straigh to her computer. Opening a travel agency's site, she bought a round-trip airfare. Then, she entered her e-mail and sent a message to her editor, Loki.

"Dear Loki =)  
>Going to Italy. Don't know when I'm coming back.<br>Deal with them a little more?

See ya - don't know if- soon..."


	2. Welcome

Well, I really hope you guys to like this specific story a little more! I'm putting some effort in this one and lots of love too!  
>Puh-leease, review? Xoxo<p>

It was...epic. Almost unrealistic, like one of those old medieval paintings that were in her fairy tale's books. Watching from afar, it was…so poetic. God, when did she become so cliché?

But it was true. The sight before her was so…Now she could completely understand that Makarov man's fascination. Carved in between those vast green fields and orchards, there was a whole city made in light colored stone. The sky was crystal blue and she could hear each moment that passed, a mix of people voices singing and a very disorganized - in her opinion – marching band. 

Noticing the city got bigger before her eyes, Lucy decided to stretch and get up to find the belongings she putted in the compartment above her head. Watching the other tourists doing the same, she walked down the small bus corridor and hold tight in one of the seats when it stopped at their final destination. 

After the bus left, she found herself finally sinking in the situation. Man, was she really that dumb? It seemed to be a festival at the town. No way she would find a place to stay! Backpack checked, the girl started to leave the bus terminal, holding the two bags she had brought with some difficulty. Damn, did she really need all that stuff? She sighed. Of course she did. She had no idea when she was going back to New York. And she already missed her coffee.

Remembering excitedly her favorite drink name's origin, she let a large smile appear over her face. She probably was in one of the best places in the world to have coffee! God was sooo good to her ~

Clumsily carrying her baggage, the girl started to walk trough the cobblestoned streets, feeling proud to have chosen to wear those comfortable sneakers today. The city was crowded with people from every place. She recognized some French conversations here and there, and watched a group of Asian tourists near a coffee shop, taking pictures from a tower that… 

Coffee shop? Oh, finally!

Entering the shop – that wasn't as filled with people as she expected it to be – she comfortably picked a table in the center of the room and dropped her backpack and luggage on the wood floor beside her. 

Not wasting any time, she took a brief look at the "in English" menu and called for a waitress. A tall woman, wearing regular waitress clothes and a bright red hair walked in her direction.

"Buongiorno, come posso aiutarla?" – asked the serious woman.

"Uhm, I'm sorry, but I can't speak Italian…can you speak English?" an enthusiastic Lucy answered. 

"If you can't speak Italiano, what are you toing here?" the woman in question inquired, a doubtful look in her eyes.

Embarrassed, Lucy took that enforcement and replied, in her New Yorker way

"At the moment, trying to drink a coffee, why?"

Getting a smile from the woman surprised the blond.

"I like your attitute! So, can I suggest the house's Latte? It's very goot, now that is ret coffee bean time of the year." 

Gasping at the red haired woman sudden change of behavior, the writer looked at the waitress identification. "Erza" was written. What a different name. 

"Y-yes, it'd be ok to me. I'd like to try that please." The woman that was now taking notes had this…Commanding aura around her. Lucy had already discarded the other drink she selected earlier. Better obey the lady right?

After fifteen minutes, Erza brought to her table a delicate cup with a creamy kind of coffee that Lucy really appreciated after the first gulp she took.

"This is good, really good. Thanks for your suggestion." She smiled at the other woman.

"It was my pleasure. But, if you ton't mint me asking, you ton't seem to be hostet in any of the hotels right?" 

"I-it's it that obvious? I decided to come in the last minute. And, on top of that, it seems that this festival thing might be getting me roofless for some days huh?" Lucy asked in a defeated tone.

"Well, if you wasn't so lucky, signorina, you might be, yes, roofless! But this morning, Santa Fina is blessing you! It seems almost like a miracle, hehe" the tallest woman said, hands on her hips, in a strange heroic pose.

Smiling, Lucy left a small laugh escape her. "Really? And why is that?"

"You just arrived here in Santa Fina's festival tay! Haha, and fount the only free inn's manager covering this shift for a sick frient in this coffee shop. How can't you be blesset?" Erza smiled at her.

The blond writer couldn't believe! Was her bad luck really giving her some rest?

"Oh My, Miss Erza, I-I'm speechless! Really? This is great news! My name is Lucy by the way! Lucy Heartphilia!" – the happy girl extended a hand to the red haired.

"Erza Scarlet. Manager of Coda di Fata inn. In your language Lucy, Fairy Tail." 

It was a longer trip then she thought it would be. But it was okay, Erza's map was very helpful. Dropping her bags next to the inn's entrance – making sure it would not disturb the passage - Lucy walked in to the simple reception counter. The whole inn, she could notice, was very simple. It was made of stone, like all the others buildings in the town. Even though she was some good 30 minutes from the principal commercial and historical part of Saint Gimignano, she could still feel the same architecture style there. 

Fairy Tail was surrounded by a wall made of the same light rocks as every other building in the province. Inside the walls, she noticed as she passed by, large green fields and what it seemed to be an apple orchard behind the three floors construction she was in now.

Reaching her destination, she looked around. No one seemed to be there to attend her. Erza had said she should look for a Mirajane person, which would take care of her check in and accommodation. Deciding to just wait there, Lucy started to wander trough the entrance hall. Noticing a large double door at the other end of the room, she made her way there. Getting closer, she could hear a loud discussion between two people and laughs that would follow every shout. 

Curious, the writer opened the door just enough for her body to pass through it. Facing what seemed to be the dinning room, she could finally see the focus of the loud conversation at one of the tables in the center of the room. 

A tall man, with spiked black hair was shouting at another man that had a strange(light pikn?) hair. Ignoring the discussion for a moment, she could notice both of man gesticulated a lot while they talked. And the one with black hair was shirtless. Well, luck her! That was a…very good sight. Feeling herself blush, she took her eyes from the screaming boys and saw that some people were sitting at the other tables. 

"Testa di vento! Come si fa a lasciare la mucca correre? (Head wind! How did you let the cow run away?)" –screamed the shirtless man at the pink haired one.

"Dannazione. Entrare in con la vostra vita! Non ho quasi bruciato il granaio della scorsa settimana! (Bastard! Take care of your own life! It wasn't me Who almost set the barn on fire last week!)" – the other shouted back.

"Schifoso! Prendere la mucca e…(Foul! Get the cow and…)"

"Ragazzi, smettetela! Abbiamo visitatori! (Boys, stop it! We have visitors!)"

Lucy looked to her right and saw one of the most beautiful women she had seen in all her life. A tall girl, with light blue eyes and long white hair walked her way, a sweet smile plastered on her face.

"Buon pomeriggio. Posso aiutarla? (Good afternoon! Can I help you?)" – She asked. 

Again embarrassed by her lack of knowledge of the Italian language, Lucy blushed for the second times in less then five minutes.

"I'm really sorry, but I don't speak a word in Italian so…" 

"Oh, it's okay. Welcome to Fairy Tail! How can I help you my tear?" The woman kindly replied.

"Uhm… Miss Erza Scarlet sent me here. She said I should talk to Mirajane…" 

"Oh- the woman smiled brightly- that woult be me! Must I assume you need a room, and, by the time, a goot lunch?" She offered.

Relieved with the good attitude the beauty in front of her had, Lucy let out a deep breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Yes, please! I'd really appreciate that!" 

"So, once again, welcome to our Fairy Tail!" 


	3. Deflection

Hello Hello! Here we are again! I'd like to than all of you who read my beloved story! Eve those who did not review. It's ok, I do love for at least reading it! Bye Bye!

"Voi siete americani? (Are you American?)"

"Stato a New York? (Have you ever been in New York?)"

"Dove si trova Broadway? (Where's the Broadway?)"

"Was your pasta good, Miss Heartphilia?"

Oh, a phrase she understood. Finishing the plate of pasta that had been placed infront of her earlier, she grabbed the napkin resting over her lap and politely cleaned her mouth before turning to Mirajane.

"Yes, the best Italian food I've ever had!" The blonde writer offered the receptionist a small smile. But looking her surroundings again, she looked at the many people (she assumed the inn's workers) had gathered around her table and even seated in hers other chairs. One of them really looked like Mirajane, a tall man with white hair and thought expression in his face. Next to him, a beautiful green haired woman looked curious at her. The other three, who were asking her questions she couldn't really understand, looked what she could only describe as funny.

One had a really long hat over his hat and seemed to have paint all over his clothes. The one on his left had a enormous topknot, and, to top it, was wearing an Hawaiian shirt. The last one, opposing the Elvis guy at her table, had too long green hair, and seemed to be on his own world reading a thick old book, and soon Lucy assumed he was there by an accident.

"Mirajane, no need to call me 'miss'. I'm single but I'm no royalty" – She said to ther girl who had started to take the dishes from the table.

"I'm sorry then, Lucy" – the beauty smiled. But soon, her smile was replace by an apologetic look on her divine face. "Oh, silly me, forgetting to introduce you to our staff!" handing the dirty plates to a passing waitress, mirajane cleaned her hands with a napkin and pointed towards the white haired guy from earlier

"This is my brother, Elfman, and his fiancée Evergreen" The two smiled and nodded to Lucy. She smiled to them too and followed the white haired girl's hand not to loose the introductions.

"Those very rute gentleman that were disturbing your meal are Reedus, the painter – she indicated the man with the head, who waved to Lucy- and Wakaba Mine, one of our many hanty antys" The last one gave her a thumbs up, that she could only retribue with a large smile over her face.

"And this quiet sir here is Fried, our translator." The green haired man took his of the book for an instant and looked at the blond, nodding.

"And, our very lout frients here – Mirajane walked over to those two who were arguing earlier, makig Lucy turn on her chair to look the way – Gray Fullbuster an Natsu Dragneel, the farmers."

"Mirajane, quante volte dovremo dirvi? Non siamo contadini, dobbiamo solo prendersi cura di terre produttive della locanda! (How many times will we have to tell you? We're no farmers; we just take care of the inn's productive lands!)" The shirtless man sighed after talking to the older girl and then smiled in Lucy's direction, offering her a small wave of his hand. "Piacere di conoscerti perdere ! (Pleased to meet you miss!)"

The foreigner smiled his way and nodded. Then, when she looked at the pink haired man, she felt goosebumps down her spine. He looked at her as if she was a ghost. Suddenly he rudely stood up and stormed out the room. Embarrassed, Lucy looked at Mirajane's direction.

"D-did I do something wrong?" She asked worried.

"No Lucy. But I already know what's wrong… sfortunatamente (unfortunately)"

Putting the little Natsu episode aside, our dear writer was more then happy. After some light conversations with those people who made her company at lunch (They could speak English as much as Lucy spoke Italian), Mirajane had took her to her room for some rest before a promised tour around Fairy Tail.

Her room was everything she could hope for. Light stoned walls; all the furniture was white with little gold colored patina. She could see the bathroom door at her right and the bed at her left. What a bed! With cream sheets and countless huge pillows, the tall bed made itself even more inviting because of it's…The girl took a deep breath before the biggest smile appeared in her lips… canopy! God, she loves canopies with all her strength. Thanking Mirajane, the girl decided to take a shower before her nap.

Yup, things were working just fine. 

When Lucy woke up, it was already dark outside, so Mirajane told her she could walk around inside, and no worries about getting lost, because the build, for what she told her, was circular. Smiling, Lucy asked for a coffee and a waiter soon brought it to her.

Cup in hands, the writer walked to the room opposite the stairs. Over the doors there was a plaque written 'Biblioteca'. Taking a sip of her latte, the girl entered the open doors and soon realized she was at the hotel's Library! The walls were covered with books, and large leather covered sofas were spread all over the room. The illumination was made by the lamps that were beside each couch. In a far corner, a petite blue haired lady (what was that about Italians and their hair color?) was laying over her stomach, a relatively large boor wide opened in front of her. She seemed to be vey interesting in whatever it was what she was reading.

Being a writer, Lucy was, consequently, an avid reader. Curiosity taking over her legs, she walked to the girl and tried her best to initiate a conversation. What was that Makarov old man said at the park? Oh, it was...

"Scusa?" – She tried.

The girl, now startled with the blonde's presence, stood up with a hand over her frantic heart.

"Mio Dio, che spavento! Volevi... uccidermi? "Recognizing appearing in her eyes, the girl now used her hands in a poor try to hide a disbelief smile.

"I-Is that you? Lucy Heartphilia, the best-sellers' young writer Lucy Heartphilia?" The bookworm asked excitement evident in her voice.

Surprised in finally being recognized, Lucy offered the small girl an ashamed smile.

"Y-yes, that would be me… uhm… what's your name?"

"Levy! Levy McGarden! Oh, what a pleasure to meet you! I've reat all of your books and texts! All you write I read!" The girl offered her idol a shaking hand.

Smiling wider now, the blond taller girl accepted her hand and shook affectionately before letting go.

"So, Levy, would you mind showing me this small castle? A guided tour would be much more pleasant!"

Smiling widely at Lucy, the Levy girl nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course! Let me tell all I know about our beloved inn!"

After one hour of a chatty tour, the two girls felt like they've known each other for decades!

Getting back to the dining hall, Lucy could finally see the other guests. They probably were at the festival.

Right after both girls made ordered what they wanted to eat, a black haired woman, wearing a cowboy hat and carrying a huge barrel over her shoulders, kicked the doors opened and shouted 

"Indovinate chi ha portato l'alcol buono?(Guess who brought the good booze?)" – Throwing the barrel at her feet, a shouting and animated crowd ran in her direction, cups in hands. 

"Hey, Levy, who's that?" Lucy asked curious. 

"That is Cana Alberona. She's responsible for the…ahem…alcohol." 

"Oh, I see…." Laughing, she spend a very good evening with Levy. She shared all about her writer's block with the blue haired girl.

"And you know what? – She took a sip from her third wine cup as she spoke- I totally believe this place here will make me good ~hehe ~hic! Oops!"

"Well, I hope it does you good as it has done to me!" Levy smiled and finished her own wine.

"Lucy, woult you like me to make you company to the stairs? I still have to close the library anyway…" 

"Yes! That would be so ~ hic~ nice!" The writer said while she lazily got up from her chair.

When the girls made it out the commotion Cana was still causing, Lucy, animatedly walked in the direction of the stairs not noticing a distracted Natsu walking speedily in the opposite direction. Bump! 

Lucy fell in her butt and so did Natsu. Cursing, the boy got up furiously, but when he saw it was her, that scared look appeared on his face again. 

"Oh, the rude boy! Good evening to you too, asshole." Infuriated she got up and started to clean her pants. 

"S-scusa?" He looked confused t her, probably not understanding a word she said. That only made the blonde even angrier at him. 

"Levy! Translate him something! Tell him he's a really rude person and the least he could do was help me up." The blue haired girl hold Natsu's attention as she translated what Lucy was saying. Giving the obviously altered by alcohol girl a stare, he said something, that Levy gulped before translating. 

"Well, he told that you seem big enough to handle alcohol, and it's a depressing part you're playing." 

That was it. What pig… 

"Then you can tell him that he seems old enough to talk properly to other people when they are being introduced." 

"You're a weird woman! – the boy was gesticulating a lot while Levy translated what he was saying – How could I ever imagine you'd even resemble her?" 

"Of coursed I resemble no fucking else! – She screamed at him as the blue haired girl, preoccupied where this was going, continued to do what she was supposed to - I'm Lucy Heartphilia! And I intend to be no one else!"

With that she left a dumbfounded Natsu and a scared Levy down the hall as she stormed upward the stairs to her room. 

"What a pain! I remember him of someone – she grumbled - It's his problem, not mine…"

Oops, not a good start for our beloved couple I guess. Well, let's hope for their best! See ya! 


	4. Empathy

**Hello there everybody! I'm really so sorry! In these last two (or three) months I've been trough some difficulties in my academic life. But now, I'm all better and with a brand new and very good to write routine! I do hope, with all my heart that you guys are still reading and enjoying this story as much as I am! Bye-bye! **

Bricks. Thousands of them falling over her pretty little head. The contents of Cana's barrel should be forbidden by law.

Last time Lucy had a hangover like this was almost two ago in a college reunion with her friends. Giving up all the thinking (cause it was hurting a lot), the blonde writer slowly started to get up that comfortable beautiful bed. Holding her temple in fear that her head would fall down, she took small steps to bathroom, not really sure why….

Oh yeah, hangover.

Around forty minutes later, our heroine was feeling brand new. Her mind wasn't heavy anymore and she finally could take a breath without feeling that awful alcohol smell. Noticing the sun coming trough the curtains, the New Yorker took a look at her room's miniature grandpa clock and smiled. Only eight a.m.! She had a whole day to walk around the inn's property and still going to know the city at night!

Glad she brought her beautiful white linen dress and a short jeans jacket, she braided her hair effortlessly and descended the stairs happily, wondering if the dinning room would be too crowded for the breakfast time.

Arriving at the large room, she noticed that the number of guests was really reduced. Sitting exactly at the same table, she decided that an express black coffee first thing in the morning would do wonders to eliminate whatever hangover's remnants were possibly still in her.

Right after ordering, she was surprised to have Erza and that Gray guy's company for the breakfast.

"Buongiorno Lucy! How are you this lovely morning?"- the red haired woman questioned her as their meal was served.

"Wonderful! God, I haven't felt so like myself in ages! Not even that monstrous hangover took the best of me!"- she replied with a smile before eating a small piece of a tasteful banana ciabatta.

"Haha, guess Cana over dit it again last night!" – Erza smiled as she stirred her coffee. 

Quiet until that moment, their male companion seemed to have remembered something 

"Mi dispiace interrompere la signorina, ma ieri sera stava aiutando per chiudere la Biblioteca e Levy ha commentato sul suo disaccordo con l'agricoltore rosa. È vero? (I'm sorry for interrupting miss, but last night I was helping Levy to close the library and she mentioned about your disagreement with the pink farmer. Is it true?)" 

Lucy of course couldn't understand a word, but the inn's manager stood up, almost spitting her coffee, an even darker aura around her. 

"Vai a prendere che marmocchio Gray! Che cosa crede di essere? Uno spiacevolemi ha invitato! Francamente ...( Go get that brat Gray! Who does he think he is? Disrespecting a guest of mine! Honestly…)"

Whatever was that was happening definitively wasn't good. Nu huh. Not even a bit. The second Erza finished talking, Gray was already passing trough the room's doors and running faster then Usain Bolt out of there.

They must have stayed like that for five minutes. A complete silence took over the dinning hall and even the staff stopped what they were doing. Right after that, the uncharacteristic loud sound of the double doors got everybody's attention.

Lucy felt her stomach flip ate the sight. Good Lord, it seemed like her pink haired nemesis was walking through the crowd to be decapitated. Pitiful eyes aimed for him and some 'Bonne chance' and 'Good Luck' were whispered his way.

And then she understood. Levy probably told Gray about their incident of last night. And then, at the same moment, the tiniest sympathy she was holding towards him faded. Screw him and those puppy eyes.

When he finally stood before her, Erza threw him a punch and not giving him time to collect himself started to scream at him in that very Italian mafia way Lucy recognized from the movies. And by the looks of it, that guy was in serious trouble. 

Watching him recoil more and more with ever scream the older woman throw at the boy, Lucy started to feel guilty. She too was disrespectful to him (for the little she could remember) and he was taking it all alone.

The blond girl could be many things. Spoiled, selfish, a little immature but never, ever, in her whole life, she could be called unfair.

Gathering the courage she never knew she had in her, the younger woman got up and slowly went to stand beside Natsu. After reaching the spot by his right, she positioned a hesitant hand over his arm (more to stable herself than to defend him, she concluded later that day) and, with an incredibly steady voice, she interrupted the other female loud speech. 

"Scusa Erza, but it was not just his fault. I was rude to him too and we both seemed to be under last night's activities effect. I'm sure he too is very sorry, but I can't let you be unfair. I'd really like if I could apologize to him"

Noticing only now that her hand was holding his arm and that that blonde foreigner was being gentle towards him (he didn't understand what she said completely, but he knew what 'sorry' meant in his language) by defending him from Erza, he knew something too: they probably should be running. Yes, they should. 

Without giving chance to the catatonic woman in front of them start to talk again, the pink haired guy took Lucy's hand in his and left the room with her, running for their life's safe.

The young woman was too impressed to give her opinion in his actions. But, by the look she saw passing Erza's eyes, she assumed, while they ran trough the apple orchard behind Fairy Tail, that he was probably right. So she let him guide her to a big rustic barn that was some good fifteen minutes away from the inn and that she was not able to notice it was there the last day.

He only let go of her hand the instant they stopped to take breath. He opened the barn's huge doors to let them come in. Entering, Lucy took a sit over some old wood boxes abandoned in a corner, her legs not able to stand her weight anymore. 

Closing the doors, he walked her direction and stood before her, sweating and giving a true and….beautiful smile to her.  
>Taking one of her now shaking hands, he gently brought it to his lips to touch it affectionately.<p>

"Thank you signorina."

Too distracted by his recent gesture (and pretty sure very, very red too) she was only able to stutter a short 'You're welcome' to him.

Laughing at her reaction, he placed the hand he was still holding opened over his heart, and she was sure, that moment, people really could die of embarrassment.

"Signorina?"

Her eyes met his. Such intense gray eyes.

"Thank you. With heart…"


	5. Carelessness

I really am sorry for the time wrap here! lol  
>But here it is another chapter of 'San Gimignano'<br>Andiamo!

Lucy felt ashamed, really. She wasn't flustered because of this ultra-romantic gesture of his nor because of his deep manly voice. It wasn't any cliche like that. 

His chest. His tought and firm chest. His broad chest. His sweaty, beating chest under her fragile hand. His firm grip on her thin wrist.

Oh crap, she was a walking cliche. A fucking novel writer! Dammit. What a pussy.

Okay. Enough. She didn't even know how long he had been holding her hand there and she was just too ashamed to look him in the eyes. 'Peeerv Lucy, bad, baaaad girl...' But hearing a contained small laugh in the silence of the empity barn, she abruptly looked at the man's face and, if possible, her heart dropped to her stomach waking up those lazy butterflies. That smile of his...  
>Realizing that she once again had fallen under his spell, she shook her head and timidly brought her hand to her chest, feeling like a mouse being trapped by a cat. Or a silly scholar waiting for the popular boy to read her pink love letter. <p>

God... Her mouth felt dry. So she unintentionally passed the tip of her tongue over her lips, also trying to buy herself time to think of something to say to him. And that's when she saw it. SHE SAW IT. The cat, and the dead mouse hanging from his mouth! 

Perverted!  
>He blushed at her lip licking! <p>

"Kyaaaaah, you peeerv! Go away!" Desperately trying to create some distance between her and her offender, the writer managed to fall backwards from the box she was sitting over. The pain should have been instantaneous, but the haystacks' remainings spreaded over the earth floor softened her fall.

"Madonna Mia, _Be carefoul_ signorina!" He rushed to her side and helped her stand again. 

"T-thanks..." Now more red the friggin Elmo, Lucy tried to get rid of the pieces of straw and wood that had tangled in her white dress and jacket. 

Smiling at the blushing girl, the taller man gently started to colect some dry grass that had stucked on the blonde beauty's hair.

When he finally finished , they were facing each other. She was still embarassed, and the fact that he kept a lock of her golden hair between his fingertips didn't help. But when she was about to say something, or at least try, he brought his hand closer to his nose, bringing her body to his due to the motion, and inhaled her hair.

When he closed his deep gray eyes and a peaceful façade took over his expression, she swore those damn butterflies were throwing a rave down her belly. Damn creatures. Damn bugs for making her act like a silly virgin girl.  
>At the same time she couldn't help but to smile too. His strong yet calming presence made her relax immediately. Although she did not forget his previous perverted action , she decided to let it slip for now and focused on trying to calm the damned bugs.<br>But right when she started to close her eyes, he suddenly opened his, making Lucy come to a halt and take one step away from his form. 

"C'è odore di mela" he whispered. 

"W-what? I don't..." Watching her confused face with amusement, Natsu too her hand and guided her out of the barn, and stoped as soon as they reached a nearby apple tree. Still holding her hand he stood on tiptoes and reached for a deep red fruit from a lower branch. After he took hold of it, he handed to her. She accepted shyly, but gratefully too, because she haven't been able to finish her breakfast at the inn. 

Understanding falling on her, Lucy figured out what he meant. And he was right. She did wash her hair with apple scented shampoo. 

"It does smells like apple right?" This time, she took hold of a lock of her own hair and sniffed it, the pleasant smell reaching her nostrils. 

"A-Apu?" He tryed to speak, confused. She couldn't help but to smile at his effort. 

"Aa-pple" She reapeated, slower this time, she was sure her mouth made strange forms. Her companion though, didn't seem to mind, as he focused in every sound she emitted. 

"A-pple! Apple! Che bello!" He smiled brightly. 

"Yes, yes! Very good!" Knowing that he at least understood she was being positive, she made an attempt to comunicate with him. So she decided to introduce herself again. They had to restart right? 

Directing a hand to her chest and extending the other one to him, she took a breath.

"Hi, I'm Lucy." 

Taking her hand and giving it a light squeeze, he smiled gently to her.

"Natsu. Natsu Dragneel."

"Pleased to meet you Natsu!" 

Laughing at him, she let go of his hand and started walking to the shadow of the tree, resting her body against it and thanking the gods for the nice breeze that helped to calm her heart a bit.

"Lucy, Aspetterò qui!" (Lucy, wait here!) And he ran back inside the barn. 

Lucy was quiet and curious, but she used that alone moment to bite on the apple and eating it completely, without even notice waht she was doing. All the while, she reflected about the last minutes of her life. And oh my, that man...  
>That man was something! Something really nice.<br>What was up with this place? Where have this prince been yesterday?  
>She needed a latte. Or a mocciato. Or that wine of Cana's barrel.<br>Probably the wine.

She only noticed he had returned when he whistled to her. Looking at him standing in front of the barn with a old-styled red bicycle made her grin from ear to ear.

"Really? You're awesome, you know it?" Discarding the rest of the apple near the tree exposed roots, she crossed the small distance running, making herself comfortable over the stuffed passenger's seat. She seated with both of her legs turned to the same side, and snaked her arms around his middle section, holding it tight, but that didn't' seem to bother him. 

Getting a confused side glace from her 'pilot', she just shook her head, as if retreating what she said and smiled sweetly, making him blush. Noticing it, she just gave a small laugh and reapeated his words from earlier:

"Che Bello!"

Theeeere. That smile.  
>Attention, Attention. Lucy's legs are becoming pudding! <p>

And he started to pedal. To the opposite side of the inn. But Lucy didn't care.  
>And maybe, for the first time in her life, she didn't mind where life was taking her.<p>

Was it wrong? She didn't know this man that well...Why did he make her feel so capable of doing things like running from a red-haired monster and taking off to some unknown place?  
>Deciding she was overthinking things again, she opened her arms as they took a fall on the earthy road, now surrounded by growing sun flowers on both sides. <p>

"CHE BELLOOO!" She screamed, never feeling this was so right. Like she was herself for the first time in her life. And hearing him scream along her gave it more sense. And hearing him laughing misteriously made her feel in Heaven.

Hope you guys like this chapter! I know it's kind of short, but I wrote it with lots of love! tee~hee.  
>Reviews puh-leease? And see you soon!<span>


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